Environment & Safety
Consider these guides for stress relieving of vertical towers
This case history investigates all required post-weld heat treatment for an existing column
HP Automation Safety: Safety equipment qualification
During a functional safety assessment of a packaged equipment manufacturer, the issue of instrumentation equipment qualification came up on the audit checklist. The IEC 61511 standard requires that al..
UOP forms alliance with Netherlands’ Twister for natural gas treatment technology
Honeywell’s UOP said Wednesday that it plans to expand its portfolio of natural gas treatment technologies through an exclusive marketing alliance with the Netherlands-based Twister B.V. UOP has also acquired a minority position in Twister B.V., the company said.
Norway agency sees "very serious shortcomings" in BP safety
BP’s efforts to monitor and respond to sudden pollution releases such as oil spills in the Norwegian Sea suffer from "very serious shortcomings" that demand immediate improvement, Norwegian regulators said. The report is the latest indication of health and safety issues at BP, which was plagued by a massive oil spill in the US Gulf of Mexico in 2010 and by numerous other accidents in recent years.
Developing nations seen making better efforts on climate change - official
Developing countries are making more effort to combat climate change and reduce carbon emissions than the developing world and that imbalance is threatening the future of the Kyoto Protocol, Venezuela's climate change representative said Tuesday.
US says nations must adhere to CO2 pact
The US said Monday that any future emission reduction accord must equally apply to industrialized countries and the major emerging economies such as China. The US, which isn't a member of the Kyoto Protocol, said it takes climate change seriously but any accord has to have equal application to the US and major emerging economies in order to be passed.
Total to challenge French government decision on shale gas - report
French oil and gas giant Total plans to challenge the French government's decision to cancel its exploration permit for a shale gas field in Montelimar, in the south of France, reported Les Echos Monday. In October the French government canceled exploration permits on shale-gas fields after it said Total maintained its intention to drill the potential fields using hydraulic fracturing, a controversial technique that was banned in the country earlier this year.
Solutia closes deal to buy Southwall Technologies
US-based specialty chemicals firm Solutia has completed its previously-announced acquisition of Southwall Technologies, a producer of energy-saving films and glass products for the automotive and architectural markets. The acquisition was completed on Monday with a merger of a subsidiary of Solutia into Southwall.
Austria minister opposed to shale gas drilling - report
Austrian Environment Minister Nikolaus Berlakovich said he is opposed to shale gas drilling for environmental reasons, the daily Der Standard reported. Berlakovich's sentiment could result in companies like Austria's OMV being denied permission to extract the country's shale gas deposits.
IEA urges fix of renewable energy subsidies
Governments offering financial incentives to renewable energy generation technologies must do more work to make this support more cost effective, the International Energy Agency said Wednesday. Problems can be avoided by quickly adapting subsidy policies as technologies evolve and their costs fall, said the agency.
- CNOOC completes construction on $2.9-B, 1.8-MMtpy integrated complex in east China 8/22
- bp's Whiting refinery (U.S.) continues to flare days after severe thunderstorm 8/22
- Bachmann introduces latest version M-Target for Simulink 8/22
- U.S. to rule on biofuel waivers, but big oil refiners may need to wait 8/22
- Chinese independent refiner Hongrun buys Canadian, Brazilian crude 8/22
- Ukrainian attack suspends Russian oil flows to Hungary, Slovakia 8/22
